Tongueless cultivator



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. G. GRAHAM. TONGUELESS GULTIVATOR.

No. 324,834. Patented'Aug. 25, 1885.

*Wiim'ess as:

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

M. G. GRAHAM.

TONGUELESS GULTIVATOR.

No. 324,834 Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

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M. G. GRAHAM.

TONGUELESS OULTIVATOR.

No. 824,834. Patented Aug.25,1885.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 44 M. G. GRAHAM.

TONGUELESS OULTIVATOR.

No. 324,834. Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

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UNTTnn STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

TONGUELESS GULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,834, dated August 25,1885.

Application ti ed February 2-1, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Muoicnnsin G. GRAHAM, residing at Ottunlwa, in the county of XVapello and State of Iowa, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongueless Cultivators, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation with one wheel removed; Fig. 2, a rear elevation with the V beams removed; Fig. 3, a detail of the drawbar; Fig. 4, a detail of the end plate; Fig. 5, a front view of one side of the cultivator; Fig. 6, a rear view of one end of the axle with its attachments; Fig. 7, an end view of the horizontal portion of the axle with the runner, end plate, spindle-plate, and draw-bar attached; Fig. 8, a plan View of one end of the axle and its attachments; Fig. 9, details of the coupling.

The object of this invention is to so construct and arrange a tongueless cultivator that lifting-springs can be applied from the central arch or how to the beams, and to so construct and combine the parts that the arch will maintain its vertical position under all conditions; and its nature consists in the several parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed as new.

In the drawings, A indicates the central portion or bow of the arch; B, the horizontal portions of the arch; 0, wheels; D, cultivatorbeams; E, handles; F, shovels; G, springs; H, connecting chains or rods; I, runners; J, runner-braces; K, draw-bars; L, projections from the central portion of the arch; M, rod or bar located at the top of the arch; N, fastenings for the bar M; a, coupling for the front end of the beams; a, sections or leaves of the section a. of the coupling; I), coupling-plate for connecting the coupling a with the aXle; c d e,

bolts; j", washeivplate; r slots in the horizontal portion of the arch; h, spindleplate; 2', corrugations on the plate j,- j, end plate; It, pivotbolt; Z, projections or cars at the rear end of the draw-bars; m, adjustiug-thiinbles for the runner I; n, cars on the end plate, j o, ears or projections at the outer ends of the plates B.

The wheels 0 and cultivatorbeains I), handles E, and shovels F may be made of iron in such' as are in common use. The arch A B is preferably made of end castings, B, of the form shown, and the central or arched portion of two corresponding plates riveted or bolted to the end sections, as shown. These plates are held apart by the castings at their lower ends, and by the sockets and eyebolts N at their upper end, which sockets are made of light castings with a hole through them, through which eyebolts for locking the bar M in place are located. These blocks may be made with slight flanges at the top to hold the bows A together when the eyebolts are tightened.

The bar M is provided with projecting ends L, to which the springs G are attached, and the ends project out a sufficient distance to give the springs the desired location. I do not limit my improvement in this respect to the bar M, having the projections L, as it is evident that the spring projections may be separate, and may be differently attached to the arch, and that when the arch is made solid the bolting or otherwise fastening of these projections to the sides will be aprel'erable method of attaching them; but when the arch is made of double plates, as shown, the bar M is preferablc.

The springs G are coiled or helical springs of a snfiicient length to give the required movement for the cultivator beams, and they may be provided with a central guide-rod, as shown. The upper or forward end of each spring is attached to a projection, L, and the rear or lower ends are attached to the chain H, by meansof which they are connected with the cultivator-beams, and the chainlinks, being connected with the cultivatorbeams by hooks, may be used as a means for adjusting the tension or action of the springs. The oliiee of the springs is to assist the operator in raising or otherwise manipulating the cultivator-beams.

In a cultivator of this class the arch would naturally tip backward under the action of the springs, and thereby render them ineflicient. In order to prevent this I attach the runners I to the rear ends of the draw-barsK. These draw-bars pass through the forked end of the plates B, and are connected with said plates by means of the pivot-pin 7t, passing through the form shown, or of other material and forms the ears 0 of the plates B and through the draw-bar. The rear end of each draw-bar is forked, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to form ears Z, through which the upper ends of the runners I pass. The collar m, with a lock-nut, is fitted between these cars Z, so as to form adjustable bearings for the runners I. It will be readily understood that when the set-screw of this collar is loosened the cylindrical and vertical portion of the runner I may-be moved .up and down freely through the ears Z and be locked by the set-serew in any position desired-for use, and yet permit of a free movement for the turning of the runners to the right or left or the swaying of the draw-bars without moving the runners sidewise upon the ground. I

By thus connecting the runners I with the draw-bars, when the machine is in motion, the runners press very lightly, if at all, upon the ground. They do not therefore impede the draft of the machine to any considerable extent, and by this jointed arrangement the draw-bars are free to sway or the runners to turn, as in getting around row ends, and by this arrangement the draft of the team holds the arch in position to give the springs their proper action upon the plow-beams, and whenever, from any cause, the draft slacks or when the machine is stopped, then the runners I hold the arch in its vertical position and furnish the resisting power to maintain the proper tension of the springs.

The end plates, j, are provided with inwardly-projectin-g cars a, which pass over the ears 0 of the plates B, and are attached by the pivot-pin k, which pin also furnishes the pivot for the draw-bar K. These plates j are about five inches in width, and extend back of the pivot is about four inches. The rear edges of these plates are provided with slots and serrations 1', as shown in Figs. 4 and 1. The spindle-plate h is provided with similar and corresponding serrations, and a bolt passes through the slot, so that the wheels can be raised or lowered, and thus be adjusted upon this plate j. This arrangement brings the wheelspindles in rear of the pivot-bolts 7c, and thus gives them a F caster action, and so that the wheels have a free movement, which is limited in one direction by the rear edge of the plate j strik. ing against the rear projecting end of the draw-bar K, and in the other direction by the wheel itself coming in contact with the drawbar. This giving of the wheels a'movement independent of the draw-bar prevents them from taking swaying movements from the draw-bar and aids in turning corners or row ends, and as the wheel has a tendency to travel outward in turning it reduces the liability of the machine to double up and fall over when making short turns, and this arrangement also gives the machine a steadier movement in field operations.

The beam-couplings may be made in any suitable form; but the coupling shown is preferred for an iron beam. The beam-coupling is made of corresponding but reversed plates at, which are bolted together by the bolts '0 d. These plates are provided at their rear ends with grooves, which form a hole for avertieal pin from which the beams take their lateral movements, while they take their vertical movements on the pin d, which passes horizontally through the front ends of the sections or leaves a, and through the projection b, which is connected with the arch by means of the bolts 6 and the washer-plate f, as shown in Fig. 5.

The space between the beams is adjusted by the loosening of the nuts on the bolts 6, and sliding the plate 12 either to the right or left in the slots 9 of the plate B. The plate B is of the form commonly known as a pin-plate that is, a plate with a thin central portion and projecting borders, which gives them strength without adding too much weight to the machine.

In the ordinary manipulations for field operations the springs do away with the necessity for hang-up devices. For traveling purposes the set-screw of the collar m is loosened, so that the runners I can drop down a sufficient distance to hold the plows or shovels out of contact with the ground, as in this position the springs will hold the plows up, and when the machine is to be put into use the runners are readjusted, so that the draft will keep them from pressing too heavily upon the ground, as before described.

If hang-up devices are used, adjustable runners will not be required; and I do not, therefore, limit my improvement for applying springs to adjustable runners.

The adjustable spindle-plate h, with its serrations, and the corresponding serrations on the plate j, are for the purpose of raising or lowering the front end of the machine to adjust the running depth of the plow-shovels. \Vhere this adjustment is not desired, the wheel-spindle may be attached directly to the plate j, but in rear of the pivot k, so as to preserve the independent or cast-er action of the wheels, as hereinbefore described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the arch of a tongueless cultivator, supported on wheels, of the springs G, chains or rods H, beams D, and runners I, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the arch A and extensions L with the springs G, chains H, and beams D, with adjustable runners I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The draw-bars K, having the pivots k and rear projecting ears, Z, with the collar m, having a set-screw, and the runners I, whereby the swaying movement of the draw-bar is not communicated to the runner, substantially as described.

,4. The end plates, j, pivoted near their front edges, in combination with the wheel spindle or plate h, located in rearof the pivot 70, whereby the wheels are permitted to have IIO an independent movement and a caster action, 7. The combination ofthe arch A B, springs all substantially as specified. G, chains or rods H, beams D, draw-bars K,

5. The combination of the draW-bar K, pivrunners I, and pivoted Wheel 0, all constructed 7 oted runner I, and pivoted wheel 0, operating and arranged substantially as specified. 5 from a common pivot, is, substantially as do scribed. MUOKERSIE G. GRAHAM.

6. The combination of the arch ends or plates B, having the ears or projections 0, \Vitnesses: with the plates having the ears n, wheel- A. J. BRYANT, 1o spindle plates 71, and pivot-pins k, substan- J. B. FINDLY.

tially as set forth. 

